Press enter to search, esc to close
Under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, every licensing board is required to consult upon, and produce, a local licensing policy. Under law, the policy must seek to promote the licensing objectives. These policies have been in place since the onset of the 2005 Act, back in 2009 and have gone through many changes in each local area as the law and local attitudes and evidence has developed. Nowadays, the policies are updated every five years, in a period following the local council elections after which new licensing boards are appointed. This allows the incoming new members of the board to set their own context to their five-year term.
With the most recent local elections in May 2022, now is the time for the new licensing boards to commence consultation on their new policies.
This webpage will be updated on a regular basis with details of all licensing consultations across Scotland (listed below) so please check back for more information.
The policy statement is a very important document for all stakeholders involved in the world of licensing but particularly so for licence holders as it can be described as a sort of “rulebook” for what to expect from a particular licensing board in terms of how they will do their business and carry out their functions under the 2005 Act. The policy, once confirmed, is therefore a very important part of the licensing process. It will affect all licence holders to some extent and for that reason, this forthcoming period of consultation is an opportunity to help shape the local policy for the next five year period. We urge our clients and all licence holders to be engaged in the process and have your views heard.
You can anticipate that the policy consultations will cover a wide range of issues. High up each licensing board’s agenda will be to assess and put forward new rules regarding areas such as overprovision, licensed hours, and the use of occasional licences. In the past, licensing boards in different parts of the country have listened to licence holders and flexed their policies to allow additional benefits and trading. Examples of this include those licensing boards who, but for one or two exceptions, all moved away from the old-fashioned 12.30pm start on Sunday trading; or boards who have allowed later terminal hours for pubs. We would also expect the consultations to feature an analysis of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic such as the rise of the use of outdoor space and home deliveries.
The 2005 Act requires licensing boards to consult with the Local Licensing Forum, licence holders, the NHS and “other persons”. Typically, the licensing board will engage with groups like resident’s associations, the Police, and would hear from a wide variety of organisations including campaign groups like Alcohol Focus Scotland and others. It is extremely important that licence holders engage with the process to ensure their voice is heard. It is important to note that the policy consultation has to follow certain key rules. The policy must be evidence-led, and ultimately, it must be lawful.
The following is our guide to the consultations across all of Scotland, as and when they are announced. We will provide a note of relevant dates and how to respond, as well as providing analysis of the key issues to watch for in each area. This page will be updated on a regular basis so we encourage our clients and the wider licensed trade to come back and check for the ones you have an interest in on a regular basis. TLT will be responding to all consultations on behalf of many clients. If you would like advice on how a policy may affect you, please contact us for a free initial consultation. This list below shows licensing boards only where the consultation has “gone live”, so if you do not see the board you are interested in, please check back on a regular basis.
Read Aberdeen City's finalised Statement of Licensing Policy (November 2023) on their website.
Read Aberdeenshire Licensing Board's updated Statement of Licensing Policy (2023 - 2028) on their website.
Read Angus Licensing Board's updated Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read Clackmannanshire Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-28 on their website.
Read Dumfries & Galloway Licensing Board's updated Licensing Policy Statement on their website.
Read East Ayrshire Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Board policy (November 2023 - November 2028) on their website.
Read East Dunbartonshire's updated Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read East Lothian Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-2028 on their website.
Read Edinburgh Licensing Board's updated Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read Falkirk Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read Fife Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read City of Glasgow Licensing Board's updated Policy Statement on their website.
Read Highland Licensing Board Policy Statement (2023 - 2028) on their website.
Read Inverclyde Licensing Board's Policy Statement (1 November 2023 - 31 October 2028) on their website.
Download Midlothian Licensing Board's Licensing Policy Statement 2023-2028 here: https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/downloads/file/1306/licensing_board_policy_statement
Read Moray Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy (30 November 2023 to 29 November 2028) on their website.
Read Orkney Islands Area Licensing Board's updated Licensing Policy Statement on their website.
Read Perth & Kinross Licensing Board's Policy Statement (2023 - 2028) on their website.
Read Renfrewshire Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy (2023 - 2027) on their website.
Read Scottish Borders Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy (November 2023 - November 2028) on their website.
Read South Ayrshire Licensing Board's updated Statement of Licensing Policy on their website.
Read West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy (November 2023 - November 2027) on their website.
Read West Lothian Licensing Board's Statement of Licensing Policy (2023 - 2028) on their website.